Display-rack.



W. T. HORMES.

DISPLAY RACK.

MPLIGATION FILED Nov. 9, 1914.

Patented Mar'. 30, 1915.

I? NORRIS PETERS co., PHDTO-LITHD., WASHINGVIDN. D. c4

maman srA'rns PATENT onnion.

`'ill/'ll'.lllilli*IAM T. HORMES, 0F GOVANSTOWN, MARYLAND, ASSIEGrN'OIIEt TO SOLOMON HIMMEL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

DISPLAY-RACK.

T0 all whom it may concern.'

:Be it known that 1, WILLIAM T. HonMEs, a citizen `of the United States, residing at Govanstowmin the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Display-Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a ydevice for displaying or exhibiting goods, and relates to that type of display device wherein a rotatable rack is employed for supporting the goods to be displayed, which rack is movable to and from a position within a case or compartment. Such cases or compartments are usually constructed with glass walls or panels,

so that the goods on display may be readily seen by prospective customers, passing the same, and at the same time beprotected from dust and contamination from other sources. When it is desired to more closely inspect the goods upon display, the rack is moved to the forward edge of a lcase or compartment, and then rotated at will, to permit ofconvenient inspection and selection. In View of the fact that economy of floor space demands that the area occupied by the case or compartment be as small as possible, said case or compartment is usually made of oblong shape, and the arms of the rack, when the latter is within the case, normally eX- tend parallel withv therear wall of the case,-

the length of said arms being greater than the width of the case.` To provide the necessary clearanceV for the arms of the rack when the latter is rotated, it is customary to provide means whereby the rack may be bodily moved to a point near the front of the case. Under these conditions it is important that the arms ofthe rack be brought parallel vwith the rear vwall of the case, before the rack is moved back after the goods has been inspected.V Otherwise the glass panel forming the rear Wall may be damaged or broken by the ends of said'arms striking against it. One of the objects of this invention is to provide a display rack of the characterreferred to, 'with means for automatically causing the arms of the rack to assume a predetermined position parallel with the back of the cabinet, after said rack has been rotated in displaying the goods to a prospective customer. A further object is to provide means for restraining rotation of the rack while the same is in its rear position within the case,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 30, 1915..

Application filed November 9, 1914. Serial N o. 871,049.

and during its bodily movement to and from said rear position. p

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims. l

lIn the accompanying drawings :-,Figure 1 1s a plan view illustrating a case contain ing my improved display rack, the top of the case being removed, the raclr being within the case. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustip-ating the rack-inlits outer position. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating details of construction of the rack, parts being broken away. Fig.l 4: is an enlarged plan view illustrating the guide. Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View of the carriage. Fig. 6 is a detail View of one of the pins cooperating with the guide. i

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates the case of any suitable or preferred construction,that shown being provided with front sections 11, preferably constructed of glass, and capable of being removed to permit movement of the display rack to a forward position. The bottom of the case is provided with a channel 13, the upper edges of which are formed asguides 11i, between which the carriage 15 is mounted to reciprocate. Y Said carriage is provided with a tubulazr boss 16 which rotatably supports a shaft l n The under face of the carriage is provided with a cam flange 18 provided with the cam faces 19, the neutral faces 20,-and the locating recesses 21. The lower end of the shaft 17 projects below the carriage, and centrally with respect to the flange 18, and is provided with a cross head 22. Said cross head is provided with tubular arms having i upper and lower slots 23 through which project the Shanks of pins 24, said pins being provided with upper and lower enlarged heads 25 and 26 respectively. Springs 27 withinthe arms of the cross head engage the pins and act to hold the latter at the outer extremities of the slots. The upper heads 25, are normally in engagement with the interior of the cam fiange 18.

Secured to the bottom of the channel in any suitable manner is a guide member 28 extending longitudinally of said channel and transversely of the case. Said guide member isV provided with longitudinal grooves 29 which enter an enlargement 30 at the front end of the guide member, the

walls ofsaid openingbeing shaped to conorm the contour of the` cam flange 1t 1s obvious, however, that `the forward "or front wall of this opening maybe omitted.'

The lower heads 26 carried by the cross head engage the grooves 29 or the opening 30, according to the/position of the rack. p

To the upper end of the' shaft 17 is 'secured a cross head 31 to which aresecuredthe arms 32 which support the garment carrying yrods 83. Y v In practice, the heads 25normallyengage thelocating recesses' 21, when the rackiislin its rearward position, and the heads 26' engage the grooves 29. This engagementf ytheipins 2-1`w`ith lthe"grooves l29 prevents rotation of `the'shat't 17, andv the parts carried by it, when the rack :is in its'V rearward position. `Rotation is :likewise "prevented Yduring theiorward movement of the'ra'ck and until the "heads26 of'thejpins24fenter the enlargement `=of the' guide f'member. Theienlargement 30 and the cam :flange '18 are of suchsize'asto permit rotation ofthe shaft. 'As the shaft is rotated-however," the 'heads 25 engage the cam'aces-19,compress ing the springs 27. Shou'ld the-force acting to rotate the rack be relaxed, 'the 'springs' 27 acting againstfthe vpins 24k and 'through the latter against' the cam 'faces 19, lwillcause the rack to `return to its vpredeterminedy positionwiththe' pins inl engagement with the locating recesses 21, and 'the rods parallel withthe back of thecase. l Ii, however,the vrotating 'power 'is' continuously applied, the vpins will lfiec'au'sedto engage the neutral ia'ces 20, whereupon 'if the rack'is released 'it will remain Ainf position with the`rods'23 extending transversely of thecase. When in this "position, the rack cannotibemoved backward because the rear wall of the enc l:ri-gernent30 actsns an abutmentfandthe l rearward position..

Having thus explained the nature of my inventiomanddescribed an operative manner oi'constructingand using the' same, although without attempting Ltofsetfor'th all y of the iorms in ywhich'it may bemade, or all of the forms of its use, what Ic'laimis 1. Inadisplay rack of the character describedfthe combinationwith a case or Icabinet, of. a rotatable rack mounted toreciprocate'ftoand from a position within 1'the case or cabinet,` a cam member independent of gv, the CrackA and Vmovable Vwith thelatter Fin *its 65.

Ireciprocable movement,and spring pressed members carried by the rack and in engage-A ment with the cam member to automatically cause4v the "rack `t`o-"ass'ume predetermined position withA respect to said case or cabinet.v

f 2. ln Va display rack of the character described, the combination with acase or cabinet, of a carriage mounted to reciprocate 1withinsai'd case or cabinet, a cam a'nge rigidly secured Vzato said, carriage, a rotatable rack supported by said carriage, and spring pressed members carried bythe rack 'an'din engagement 'with i the Lcam -ilange -to automatically cause the rack to `assume fapredetermined position with",Y respect fto fsa'idfca'se and' spring pressed memberslcarried bysaid crossv head and engagingsaid flange.

Y '41. iln 'a display rack gofthe character' "de-Y scribed, the combination 'with a case' or cabinet, of aI rotatable Srack 'mounted 'to 'reciprocatef to and from fa position within theca'se or cabinet, 'a cani member *independent of the rack and Imovable with vthe latter 'in its reciprocable movement, across head 'secured to the rack and having* slotted arma-pins 'projecting throughfthefslotsof said arms,

and springs 'holdingosaid pins -into engagement with saidvcamfmember. l

5. in aA display rack "of 4the characteridcscribed, the combination' with a* case'or *cabinet,"oi f a rotatableV rack-mounted 'to Y reciprocate `to and i'romapositionwithin the'case or cabinet, 5a cam memberindependent of the rack and )movable with 'the' tlatter'fin (its reciprocable, y movement, said cam` member havingf'cam faces and locating recesses, and spring 'pressedmembers carriedby the rack and in engagement' with the 4cam lmember.

G. Ina displayv rack ofthe character 'described, the combination with a case or cabinet, of av rotatable `rack"mounted to 4reciprocate to and from a position 'within the case or cabinet, acam member independent of the rack Vand movable with the latter 'in "its reciprocable `movement, `said 'cam member havingv cam Afaces-neutral faces, and locat- A ingv recesses, and spring pressed vrmembers carried'by the rack and in` engagement with the 'cam Vmember.

7.*1n' a '-dis'play rackof the character 'A described,'thecombination with a case or cabinet, of a'rotatable ra'clr'mo'unted to 'reciprocate to'and fromfa' position "withinl the case or4 cabinet,"a cam membenindependent 'of the rack and movable with'fthe ylatterinits reci proeablel movement, spring pressed members carriedby the ra'clr'and'in engagement with the cam member to automatically cause Lisa-sei the rack to assume a predetermined position with respect to the case or cabinet, and means for preventing rotation of the rack when in its rearward position within the case or cabinet and during its movement to and from said rearward position.

8. In a display rack of the character den scribed, the combination with a case or cabinet, of a rotatable rack mounted to reciprocate to and from a position within the case or cabinet, a cam member independent of the rack and movable with the latter in its reciprocable movement, spring pressed members carried by the rack and in engagement with the cam member to automatically cause the rack to assume a predetermined position with respect to the case or cabinet, and a guide member secured to the case or cabinet and having means to engage said spring pressed members to prevent rotation of the rack.

9. In a display rack of the character described, the combination with a case or cabinet, of a rotatable rack mounted to reciprocate to and from a position within the case or cabinet, a cam member independent of the rack and movable with the latter in its -reciprocable movement, spring pressed members carried by the rack and in engagement with the cam member to automatically cause the rack to assume a predetermined position with respect to said case or cabinet, and a guide member secured to the case or cabinet and provided with longitudinal grooves to engage said spring pressed members, and an open space at its front end communicating with said grooves.

l0. In a display rack of the character described, the combination with a case or cabinet, of a carriage mounted to reciprocate within said case or cabinet, a cam flange rigidly secured to said carriage, a rotatable rack supported by said carriage, a guide member secured to said case or cabinet, and spring pressed pins carried by said rack and engaging said cam flange and said guide member.

1l. In a display rack of the character described, the combination with a case or cabinet, of a carriage mounted to reciprocate therein, a cam iiange rigidly secured to the Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the underside of said carriage, a rotatable rack supported by the carriage, a cross-head secured to the rack and rotatable within said iange, a guide member secured to the case or cabinet below said carriage, and spring pressed pins carried by said cross head and engaging said flange and said guide meml2. In a display rack of the character described, the combination with a case or cabinet, of a carriage mounted to reciprocate therein, a cam flange rigidly secured to the underside of said carriage, a rotatable rack supported by said carriage, a cross head secured to the rack and having slotted arms, said cross head being rotatable Within said iange, a guide member provided with grooves and an open space at one end communicating with said grooves, pins projecting through the slots of the arms of said cross head and engaging said flange and the grooves or open space, respectively, of said guide member, and springs acting to press said pins outwardly.

13. In a display rack of the character described, the combination with a case or cabinet, of a rotatable rack mounted to reciprocate to and from a position within the case or cabinet, and a cam member movable with the rack in its reciprocable movement, said cam member having cam faces, neutral faces and locating recesses, and a spring pressed device in engagement with the cam member.

14:. In a display rack of the character described, the combination with a case or cabinet, of a rotatable rack mounted to reciprocate to and from a position within the case or cabinet, and a cam member movable with the rack in its reciprocable movement, said cam member being provided with portions for neutralizing the automatic movement of the rack at predetermined stages in the rotation of the latter.

In testimony whereoil I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM T. HORMES. Witnesses :4

.RUrUs COOKE, M. M. MEADE.

Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

